Book review: Safeguarding vulnerable adults and the law by M Mandelstam

The legal framework to safeguard adults is complex and often hard to understand, but this excellent and clear reference book would be useful for anyone working with vulnerable adults. The book has useful summaries and a good index so it is easy to access relevant legal sources. There are chapters on local authorities, the NHS and the regulation of care providers. The section on the criminal records bureau and the protection of vulnerable adults scheme is the clearest presentation of this material I have seen.

There is a detailed chapter on the Mental Capacity Act with good case law examples, and legal remedies are explored for financial, sexual and physical abuse. The chapter on information sharing is clear and uses good examples which bring it to life. Indeed, the book in general is very wide ranging in the law addressed, even including a chapter on the National Assistance Act and environmental health powers.

Although not a light read, the book is easy to follow, with the text broken up throughout with case law and illustrations. Much of this case law is not readily available elsewhere and is presented clearly and succinctly in the text. Mandelstam challenges the reader to explore wider legal options than will normally be considered. This book is well worth reading and dipping in to again and again.

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